Face shield



March 2s, 1939. F D LEADER 2,152,383

MCE sH-IELD Filed June 26, 1937 2 INVENTOR. l n

FOREST D. LEADER ,JW By #m777- ATTORNEYA Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

The invention relates to the mounting of sight panes in face shields whereof the panes are arranged to protect a users eyes and face from injurious rays and/or excessive heat emanating from the work.

A primary object is to provide a positive and particularly effective light seal for the sight panes in their mounting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a positively sealed heat-insulation space between adjacent panes at a sight opening.

A further purpose is to effect the foregoing objects by the use of a single member of simple structure. 15 The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in the following description of typical embodiments of the invention, and in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figures 1 and 2 are side and front views respectively of a welders hood having a sight opening provided with the features of present invention.

Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken respectively at the lines 3-3 and 4 4 in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of a light-seal ing element which is sho-wn in section in Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View showing the sealing element mounted on a pane and operative for its intended purposes.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional 35 View showing the sealing element as it appears when mounted on a dismounted pane.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary View similar to Figure 4 and showing another form of sealing element in use.

A0 Figures 9 and 10 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views respectively showing the mounted sealing element of Figure 8 in operative and inoperative condition.

As particularly shown for purposes of illustration, the features of present invention are utilized in mounting forward and rear panes I2 and I3 at the sight opening of a face shield I4 of a type used by Welders and other mechanics whose eyes and faces must be protected from light and other rays. 'Ihe present shield I4 is arranged for its mounting and carrying on the users head, but it might be arranged for its manual support in front of the face, or be fixedly supported opposite the work in such manner that 55 the user maybe physically `free of it; the shield form and mounting are generally immaterial to the present invention.

In the present instance, the shield I 4 is provided with a single rectangular opening in its front wall, Aand a frame I5 for carrying the sight panes is iixed at said opening. The peripheral wall I6 of the frame I5 extends forwardly from the shield front to define a bore of uniform cross-section, and the panes I2 and I3 are similar in outline to said bore, but slightly smaller than the same. A continuous flange I'I extends outwardly from the rearward, or base, edge of the frame wall I6 for flat engagement with the shield front around its opening, and is permanently secured to the shield in light-sealing engagement with its front face, as by rivets, to mount the frame in its place. At the frame I5, the present shield is cylindrically curved about an axis which lies in the normally upright median plane of the users head, and the inner line of the upper and lower portions of the wall I6 are correspondingly curved whereby the flange I1 may iit flat against the shield vfront thereat. Rigid plates I8 are engaged between the shield wall and the side portions of the flange I'I with their inner edges in alignment with the frame bore, and have inner portions thereof rearwardly oifset to cooperate with the flange I'I to define grooves I9 along the upright sides of the sight opening and behind the frame I5, the `utility of said grooves being hereinafter brought cut.

A continuous ange 2| extends inwardly from the forward edge of the frame wall I6 to define the eifective sight opening for the shield, said opening being of less extent than the shield body opening at which the frame I5 is mounted. The free iiange edges are respectively parallel to the wall portions from which they extend, and the `iiange is arranged to provide a flat seat 22 against which an assembly of panes may be directly engaged and releasably secured in a suitable manner, as lby the use of the disclosed securing element 23.

The element 23 essentially comprises `a closed rectangular frame of resiliently flexible sheet material having an interior opening at least as large as the sight opening provided by the flange 2I and arranged to be sprung into position between the grooves I9 to have its intermediate top and bottom portions resiliently bear transversely against the pane assembly at the rear thereof. For its use in the described manner, kthe element 23 has a height slightly less than the bore of the frame I5 and is laterally wider than said bore by an amount which will provide ,the desired degree of pressure against the panes when the side edges of the element are engaged in the grooves i9. The hood and frame I5 would usually be shaped of material which is non-conductive to heat and electricity.

It will now be noted that the rear pane or lens I3 would be one which is arranged to so reduce the intensity of light passing through it and to lter out undesirable actinic rays and radiant energy rays as to prevent injury to the face and/or eyes of a person who must View a source of such light or rays. The pane I3 may be suitably colored and/or fogged and/or coated to give it the desired ray filtering qualities, and may, for descriptive convenience, be referred to as a filter pane. While the pane I3 is shown as a single element, it will be understood that it may comprise a plural pane assembly which produces the required filtering of rays. Also, reference to light rays herein is intended to cover all rays which may be directed against the filter pane from an electric arc or Oxy-acetylene flame or other source.

The front pane I2 is formed of clear glass or the like, and would preferably be shatter-proof. This pane is arranged to function as a guard or cover pane for the filter pane I3, the latter usually being costly to replace whereby the provision of .a protective cover pane is normal. Another use for the cover pane is to provide a deadair heat-insulation space between it and the pane behind it by spacing it slightly from the latter pane.

Since the materials of the panes and pane-carrying frame I5 are different and would have different coefticients of expansion, the panes are made distinctly smaller than the cross-section of the frame space or bore which receives them whereby the edges of the panes are spaced from the opposed inner faces of the frame side wall I6. In accordance with the present invention, a sealing means is provided for direct operation between the filter pane I3 and the frame wall I6 whereby light and other rays travelling laterally through or rearwardly around the edges of the clear cover pane may no-t penetrate inwardly between the edges of the lter pane and the frame bore, and so reach the operators eyes or face to in part nullify the filtering which is afforded by the pane, the latter being particularly serious in work with the electric arc.

As brought out in Figures 3 to 7 inclusive, a sealing element is provided for mounting on the cover pane I2 for its cooperation with the frame bore to positively prevent light leakage around the edges of the filter pane I3 when the panes are mounted in the frame in the arrangement shown. The element 25 comprises a continuous strip of a resiliently stretchable homogeneous and yielding material such as a rubber composition, having an interior continuous groove 26 for ttedly receiving a pane peripherally thereof with the element in slightly stretched condition whereby the element may be mounted on the pane and encloses the pane edge portions in the groove 26.

'Ihe rearward Side wall 21 of the channel portion of the element 25 is arranged for sealing and cushioning interposition between the pane I2 and the pane I3, the forward side wall 28 of said channel is arranged for sealing and cushioning interposition between the pane I2 and the'seat 22, provided by the front flange 2 I. The cross-wall 29 which defines the bottom of the groove 26 provides an imperforate connection between the walls 21 and 28, whereby the peripheral edge portions of the cover pane I2 are completely enclosed for preventing an escape of any rays laterally from the pane. Preferably, and as brought out in Figures 5 and 7, the inner edge portions of the walls 21 and 28 are formed with continuous hollow embossments 3| for flattening out when the pane I2 is pressed between the pane I3 and the seat 22 through the action of the fastening element 23; in this manner, a line engagement and sealing contact is insured between the element and the members which it exteriorly engages. It will be understood thatthe wall 21 of the element 25 is operative as a spacing means between the panes I2 and I3 whereby a sealed dead-air space 32 is defined between the interior pane portions through which light rays are to transversely pass.

It will now be noted that the frame flange 2I, being exposed at the front of the hood I4, is subject to possible deformation by forcible contact with other objects during the use of the hood whereby the desired full seal between it and the wall 28 of the element 25 may become broken to permit the travel of light and other rays rearwardly around the front of the pane and between the element wall 29 and the frame wall I6. Accordingly, a main and final sealing means is provided as part of the element 25 and for operation between the element and the frame bore at the frame wall I6, said means comprising an integral and uniform apron-like extension 3U of the element for direct and sealing engagement with said wall.

The apron 30 may taper to its free edge in the illustrated manner, and normally extends in the general plane of the element 25 to such a distance that the over-all height and width of the element on the unmounted pane appreciably exceed the height and width of the frame bore which it is to engage. When the pane I2 having the element 25 mounted thereon is inserted transversely in the frame bore from the rear thereof and moved forwardly to engage the element with the frame seat 22, the apron 30 is arranged to be flexed rearwardly to have its forward face sealedly tted against the wall I6 by reason of its resiliency, the relation being illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 and 6. As particularly shown, the sealing apron 30 protrudes in alignment with the portion 21 of the element 25 whereby the combination of the portions 21 and 30 may alone provide the necessary seal against the passage of light rearwardly around the edges of the pane I3, while the engagement of the pane and element maintains these members in mutually centered relation and the portion 28 is operative asa cushioning gasket between the pane I2 and the seat 22.

The provision and installation of an alternative device for accomplishing the previously discussed purposes is disclosed in Figures 8 to 10 inclusive. In this embodiment, a pair of like elements is employed in lieu of the single element 25, .and each element 35 comprises a flat open frame-like structure corresponding to the combination of the parts 21 and 30 of the element 25. Each element 35 has an inner portion 31 for flat disposition against a side of a pane I2 and an apron portion 4I) which is resiliently flexible for its bending out of the plane of the portion 31 while in sealing engagement with the frame wall I6. The portions 31 may have perforated plates 4I of relatively hard material embedded and keyed therein for maintaining the full area for the elements, it being noted that the latter function is accomplished by the pane which mounts an element 25.

It will be understood that the apron portion 40 of an element 35 will, when disposed between panes I2 and I3, function to prevent the passage of light and other rays rearwardly around the edges of the pane I3, and that the inner portion 31 of the element will act as a spacer to provide a heat-insulating dead-air space 42 between the panes. An element 35 disposed between the pane I2 and the seat 22 is operative as a cushioning contact in lieu of the wall 28 of an element 25. Also, the aprons 40 and the portion of the wall I6 between them are cooperative to provide a trap for any rays which may escape laterally through the pane I2.

The disclosed arrangements have assumed that the light-filtering means is at the front of and/ or within the iilter pane I3 whereby no deleterious rays may escape laterally from the pane edges behind the apron 30. If a different condition olbtains, or if no cover pane is to be used, an element may be mounted directly on the filter pane for providing the desired ray seal; the corresponding use of an element would, of course, require the provision of an extra pane against the element 35 at the rear face of the lter pane.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and manner of use will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the invention in terms of what I now consider to be preferred embodiments thereof, I desire to have it understood that the devices shown are primarily illustrative, and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall Within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a face shield of the character described, a pane-holding frame defining a bore for receiving a pane, a pane for mounting in said bore across the axis thereof, and a continuous lightsealing member of resilient material engaging the pane and providing a sealing apron having a periphery which is similar to the bore cross-section and appreciably exceeds the bore periphery whereby the outer apron portion is arranged to be bent out of the plane of its pane-engaging portion for flat engagement with the bore whenv it is operative in the bore.

2. A structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein the sealing member is provided with a continuous interior channel for receiving the peripheral portion of the pane for mounting the member on the pane.

3. In a face shield of the characterv described, a laterally closed pane-holding frame defining a uniform bore extending in the direction of sight and terminating at a continuous seat at an end thereof, a cover pane for mounting in said bore, a filter pane for mounting in said bore behind said cover pane, and a resiliently yielding sealing element for compressed engagement between the edge portions of the panes todene a dead-air space between the panes and provided with a normally lateral extension beyond the filter pane for its transverse iiexure to have its outer portion engage flat against the frame bore to provide a light seal between the iilter pane and bore peripherally thereof, and releasable means operative to compressedly engage the sealing element and cover pane between the filter pane and seat.

4. A structure in accordance with claim 3 wherein the inner portion of the sealing member encloses the peripheral edge portion of the cover pane.

FOREST D. LEADER. 

